UPDATED: 1 dead after Cheltenham shopping center fire

Firefighters pour water onto the roof of a burning shopping center in Cheltenham, Montgomery County, Thursday night. (Photo by Tom Kelly IV/Daily Local News)

By Linda Finarelli

lfinarelli@journalregister.com

(Updated at 11:38 a.m.) CHELTENHAM — A fire that broke out around 11 p.m. Thursday in the Melrose Shopping Center resulted in the death of a man who was found inside one of the stores that was totally destroyed, according to Cheltenham police.

Police received a 911 call at 10:53 p.m. Jan. 24 from someone who told the dispatcher to send the police, Lt. John Frye said. When officers arrived at the strip mall at 55 E. Cheltenham Ave. (map), they found heavy smoke and called the fire company, which arrived at 11:07 p.m., he said.

“The police kicked the door in and rescued him from inside and started to do CPR,” Frye said. The man, who had not yet been identified as of 9 a.m. Friday, was taken to Einstein Medical Center where he later died.

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“We’re trying to figure out why he was there,” Frye said, adding he did not know the source of some media reports that the man was a security guard and noted only “he was OK being there.” Police were working on identifying the man killed in the fire Friday morning, he said.

The fire destroyed Avon Beauty Supply; a total of four shops were affected by the fire, Frye said.

The fire was declared under control at 4:37 a.m., Frye said.

One officer had lacerations to his hand from breaking the door to get inside, he said. Frye was unable to confirm reports that a firefighter had been injured as well.

Ice cold conditions caused water problems for emergency responders, and road crews were called in to salt and sand the parking lot as the water being used to fight the fire began to freeze almost immediately. A SEPTA bus was brought in for firefighters to shelter in to warm up as they worked in shifts to fight the fire.

Cheltenham fire officials were still at the scene Friday morning trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Journal Register staff writer Tom Kelly IV contributed to this story.

EARLIER VERSION OF THIS STORY

CHELTENHAM (AP) — A fire at a shopping center in eastern Montgomery County has damaged nearly a half-dozen stores and left one person dead.

The blaze broke out around 11 p.m. Thursday at the Melrose Shopping Center in Cheltenham. Officials say police pulled one person from the blaze and that the victim later died at a hospital. Two firefighters also suffered minor injuries.

A SEPTA bus was brought in and used by firefighters to warm up as temperatures dipped below 10 degrees F.

The water from the blaze iced up and road crews were called in to salt and sand the parking lot to prevent a hazard for those fighting the fire.

Fire officials say the blaze was under control shortly after 4:30 a.m. Friday.

Investigators say the blaze may have started in a beauty supply store and spread to four other shops. Other stores sustained smoke and water damage.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

It is the second fatal fire this week. 1 person was found dead inside an East Norriton home after a blaze destroyed the building early Thursday. The homeowner escaped the blaze. Fire officials and police are investigating what caused the Barbara Drive home fire.